The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a slag handling system, and, more particularly, to a continuous slag handling system.
An industrial process may utilize a slurry, or fluid mixture of solid particles suspended in a liquid (e.g., water), to convey the solid particles through the respective process. For example, partial oxidation systems may partially oxidize carbon-containing compounds in an oxygen-containing environment to generate various products and by-products. For example, gasifiers may convert carbonaceous materials into a useful mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, referred to as synthesis gas or syngas. In the case of an ash-containing carbonaceous material, the resulting syngas may also include less desirable components, such as molten ash, also known as molten slag, which may be removed from the gasifier along with the useful syngas produced. Accordingly, the molten slag byproduct produced in the gasifier reactions may be directed into a gasifier quench liquid in order to solidify the molten slag and to create a slurry. Generally, this slurry is discharged from the gasifier at elevated temperatures and high pressures. The slurry discharged from the gasifier is depressurized to enable the disposal of, or the further processing of, the slurry.